Harry Potter and the Power of Love
by Emmla
Summary: Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord the summer after his sixth year at Hogwarts, only he can't remember how he did it, but someone else can... EVENTUAL DMHP SLASH I am aware that i made mistakes in teh first chapter, but i will try to avoid that from now.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

Harry Potter had always known that he was special, it had been told to him buy innumerable wizards and witches ever since his eleventh birthday. At the same time he had always been taught that he was a worthless nobody, by the Dursley's and by all the children at the muggle school that he attended before receiving that magical letter from Hogwarts. So these two sides of him, the worthless and the special had always fought a bloody battle within him. As large as the battle between light and darkness, good and evil, love and hate; as large as that was the everyday struggle within the heart and mind of Harry Potter, The–Boy–Who–Lived.

Chapter one: The change 

He wasn't just The–Boy–Who–Lived anymore, Harry thought to himself as he was pacing slowly back and forward at Kings Cross Station. It was a sunny September morning and it was the day for the yearly journey back to Hogwarts, it was time for him and his friends to start their seventh and final year at the school. Even though none of them had really thought that they would ever return when they left the castle after Professor Dumbledore's funeral that clouded day at the beginning of the summer. None of them had known what the summer would bring them, not Ron or Hermione, not Ginny and definitely not Harry. He had thought that he was either going to defeat Lord Voldemort during that summer, or fall down dead himself. Now when the summer was over, Voldemort was gone. Truly dead this time, nothing remaining of him whatsoever, but Harry had not been the one who did the dirty work. He had not been able to kill, not even when the victim was someone who had made a living hell out of his life. Yes, Harry thought bitterly. Now he was also known as The-Boy-Who-Didn't-Dare.

Fortunately his self-destructive thoughts where interrupted by the loud greetings of Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. They came walking towards him, holding hands and wearing big smiles on their faces. He smiled as well, this summer had brought his two best friends closer and they were now officially a couple. Harry was truly happy for them.

How are you holding up mate? Ron asked and gave his shoulder a quick squeeze.

Did you get all your things? Hermione asked and looked down on the trunk at his feet.

Yes, Harry replied. And the Dursley's were really pleased when I told them I wasn't coming back there anymore.

What a shocker, Ron smirked and the trio burst into laughter.

No it wasn't really shocking that Harry's aunt and her family were happy to have him out of the way, they had never been quite eager to have him there in the first place. Hermione smiled and gave him a big hug, and he felt really fortunate to have two so understanding and loving friends as he had, they had stood by him after the downfall of Voldemort. When everyone else seemed to be questioning his status, they had never left his side, and he was forever grateful to them for that.

We better get going then, Ron said after taking a quick look at his watch and the three of them boarded the Hogwarts Express which had just appeared in front of them.

Students rushed all around them, waving good bye to their parents, carrying their trunks into various compartments, and all the physical actions were accompanied by lots of talking and laughing. Everything seemed to be just as it always had, the only problem was, Harry thought as he sat down in their usual compartment, that everything had changed and he knew in his guts that nothing was ever going to be the same again. Whether that was a good or a bad thing, he did not know yet.

As the hills of England flew past their window, Hermione had fallen asleep with her head in Ron's lap and he was sitting there stoking her hair gently with an unreadable expression on his face. None of the two boys said anything, they were just sitting there enjoying the silence, until the door to their compartment suddenly flew open and a boy with incredible blond hair and rare silvery grey eyes looked at them in surprise.

Oh, sorry I thought this one was empty, said Draco Malfoy after a few silent seconds of putting his features from surprised to nearly normal. He quickly turned and moved himself out of the compartment. He left in such a hurry that he forgot to close the door. Harry got up on his feet and walked over to close it, he looked out and saw Malfoy walk into an empty compartment on the other side of the hallway. Harry turned to Ron with a thoughtful expression on his face.

He's changed, Ron said simply. Gotten thinner too, he almost looks…haunted?

Harry nodded and slowly closed the door before seating again.

No wonder though, this summer has been rough on him, Ron let out a sarcastic laugh before continuing. Hey, its been rough on all of us!

The other boy still didn't speak, yes this summer had been rough on all of them and he knew that the events from it had left scars on not only himself but on everyone who endured it. Visible scars obtained by battles, and non-visible ones that showed their dirty little faces during night hours and shattered the sleep of their owners. Dreams haunted them all and something told Harry that Draco's dreams might be worse than his or any of his friends.

Yes, Harry said after realising that Ron had stared at his speechless friend for a couple of minutes. But we're all a bit haunted now aren't we?

Ron's face suddenly looked very tired and a few years older than it actually was, it was easy to see that painful memories tormented his mind, he nodded with a big sigh slipping out of him.

True my friend, very true.

The journey continued in the very same manner, Ron and Harry were both too lost in their own thoughts to make conversation and Hermione was sleeping. She awoke just as they were about to wake her up, the train was getting rapidly closer to Hogwarts and they had to change from their muggle clothes into their robes.

Oh, she said as she opened her eyes and stretched her arms slightly. I've slept long haven't I? A certain trace of panic colouring her voice.

Not too long anyway, Harry said and smiled at the disoriented girl in Ron's lap.

You better go change, Ron said and placed a small kiss on his girlfriends forehead.

She blushed a bit, still uncomfortable about showing affection in front of Harry. Despite their horrifying summer together, she still was very prudish.

Hermione left them to go change in another compartment and Harry unpacked his robes in silence, the two boys got dressed and had just closed their trunks as the train stopped. They had once again reached Hogwarts – for the seventh and final time.

Draco Malfoy left the Hogwarts Express feeling tense and tired, his plans to sleep during the train ride had been brutally crushed when he found himself in Harry Potter's compartment. Even later when he got seated in an empty one, he couldn't relax. Ever since he left Hogwarts before the summer holidays he hadn't had a single night of decent sleep. And, he had a feeling that it wasn't going to get any better now that he had returned. During the summer Draco had experienced how his life had been turned upside-down, and he had helped turning it.

He followed his fellow Slytherins into their common room, but this year he was definitely not part of the gang, there were almost no seventh year Slytherins left. The only people remaining from his year group was himself, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. The rest had been caught red handed doing Voldemort's dirty work or had fled the country with their death eater parents after the downfall of the Dark Lord. Some had even been kidnapped or just gone missing. Blaise and Pansy on the other hand had not been drawn into darkness, they had stayed clean and they were Draco's only friends in a new world that scared him even more than the old one had. Because in this one, he had no clue on how he ought to behave to survive.

The Great Hall was louder and more cheerful than Harry remembered it, where ever he turned he saw happy faces on Ravenclaws and Huflepuffs. Even the Slytherins looked like they were enjoying themselves, except for a few of them.

The Slytherins have gotten few, Hermione whispered in his ear, he nodded.

Indeed they had, of the seventh years only three remained; Zabini, Parkinson – and Malfoy. Harry's eyes lingered a bit longer on the pale boy who sat in silence at the Slytherin table, lost in his own thoughts. He felt himself being filled with anger, why did Malfoy do it? He surely hadn't gained anything by it. Or had he? Harry's thoughts were interrupted when Ron shook his shoulder to catch his attention.

Yes? Harry answered vaguely.

Lupin is sitting at the teachers table, Ron said with clear excitement in his voice.

Harry glanced up at the teachers and saw his father's old friend sitting their, Lupin smiled at him when he caught his eye, and Harry faintly smiled back.

Yeah, he said to Ron. He told me that McGonagall had offered him the DADA job, now that Snape's gone.

Ron didn't get a chance to respond to that statement because Professor McGonagall had arose from her chair in front of them all to hold the Headmasters yearly speech.

My dear students, it is a true pleasure for me to greet you to a new year here at Hogwarts School of Wizard and Witchcraft. To all first year students; I hope that your time here will be a pleasant and rewarding one. To the rest of you; I am truly happy to see that so many of you have returned, though we all grief the loss of those who haven't. I especially see that the seventh year class has been reduced, and my heart goes out to those who've lost a friend or a family member. Before the meal I would like you to join me in honouring those who can not be here today.

McGonagall picked up a long list and started to read the names from it.

From Gryffindor, she said and Harry felt his insides crumble, he looked over at Ron whose face had gotten a sickly white colour. Neville Longbottom, McGonagall said.

Harry's heart sank, he now knew that he was going to have to be reminded of each and everyone of his lost friends.

Justin Creevy, Ginny Weasley and Seamus Finnigan. McGonagall made a slow gesture that indicated that she demanded complete silence, but around her people had started crying and sobbing.

Ron had buried his head in Hermione's embrace, Colin Creevy was being patted on the shoulder by an equally upset Dean Thomas. Harry's heart ached tremendously. It's all my fault, he thought. It's all my fault that they're dead! Suddenly he felt as if he was being watched, he turned his head slightly and his green emerald eyes met those silvery grey of Draco Malfoy. All the anger he'd felt for the boy just minutes ago vanished at the look of the tormented Slytherin. His eyes spoke to Harry, they begged for forgiveness, and they made Harry feel even more uncomfortable. Malfoy shouldn't be asking Harry to forgive him, if anything it ought to be the other way around. Harry broke the eye contact and turned once again to the Headmistress. She had picked up the list after the few silent moments, and she looked down at her pupils with great sadness filling her eyes.

From Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw; Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang.

Harry could feel the glances of the other Gryffindors during the new moment of silence, but he showed them no emotional reaction. Of course, he felt partly responsible for the death of Luna Lovegood, but Cho Chang ( who wouldn't have been attending Hogwarts this year even if she'd been alive) had nothing to do with him. She had been killed by a death eater while walking down the streets in Muggle London with one of her muggle friends. Harry had no connection to her death, and as for his feelings for the Ravenclaw, they had faded long ago. His crush on her hadn't survived his fifth year at Hogwarts and as she graduated before the summer, he hadn't paid her much thought during the war that followed. McGonagall spoke again:

- As for Slytherin, it upsets me to see that the names on this list don't justify the loss of students that the Slytherin house has experienced.

She didn't explain her words in more detail but all students knew that many Slytherins

had disappeared during the war, and that only a few of them had been found dead.

- From Slytherin; Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, Greg Goyle and…McGonagall

paused for a split second before giving the last name.

Professor Severus Snape, she uttered the name with great caution but could not stop the whispers that spread through the room like a tidal wave. Quiet! She yelled. We shall honor each and everyone in the same respectful manner, each one! People silenced again and Harry let his eyes slide over to the Slytherin table again, Zabini sat and held the Parkinson girl, carefully patting her back. Malfoy sat staring into the wall, looking paler than his usual self.

Harry gulped and felt his heart sink to lower levels than he ever thought possible, when

McGonagall decided to break the silence and speak again.

Finally, she said. Shall I bring you more cheerful news. We have a new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher this year; Professor Remus Lupin! The entire Great Hall broke into cheers at the statement and Lupin smiled one of his biggest smiles.

Thank you, he said before he let McGonagall continue. And, you also have a new Potions teacher since Professor Slughorn has retired, she said smiling at the big crowd which had gotten a lot happier since a few minutes ago. Nymphadora Tonks! This time a sigh of surprise spread through the crowd, until Harry, Hermione and Ron started to cheer hysterically and the rest joined in quickly. This was great, Harry suddenly felt like this might become a good year after all.

One last thing before I let you go on with your meals, McGonagall sighed slightly before

continuing. A new Head of the Slytherin House has been appointed and that person will be Professor Lupin. Everyone stared at the Headmistress, the Gryffindors and the Slytherins equally shocked. Harry shook his head in disbelief, Lupin wasn't a Slytherin he had been a Gryffindor just like Harry's father and Godfather. I am aware, McGonagall said when none of here pupils seemed eager to return to their plates. That professor Lupin is not a true Slytherin, but those are very hard to find these days.

With those words, she sat down at the teacher's table and a great chatting started to once

again fill the Great Hall. People laughed, mumbled, whispered and some still cried. Harry

was still in a state of shock, even though his friends seem to have recovered. Ron was

eating happily, mumbling something about the best god damned food in the world, and

Hermione was discussing something with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Harry took a bite of the chicken pie on his plate. He had been aware of the fact that few old Slytherins had survived the summer, but he had not known that the world now was so short of Slytherins that a Gryffindor had to be the Head of the Slytherin house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The friendship

How are friendships formed, or torn apart? Why do we always feel a need to gather in groups, to belong somewhere else than to our families? And what when you have no family left, and all your friends have all abandoned you, what then? This were all questions put on replay in the head of Draco Malfoy as he sat alone in his bed in the Slytherin Dorms. Everyone seemed to treat him like they treated their garbage bins nowadays, or their toilets, he was useless and sick of it. Still, he did not regret his actions during the past summer, during the second Great War. He knew that he had done what was right, even when the rest of the world told him that he had been out of line, right after the incidents that forever changed his life, people had been thankful to him. Now, they were resentful. Draco laid down on his bed with a deep sigh, none of this mattered to him anyway, the only opinion that he cared about was the one of the boy he had saved just a few weeks ago; Harry Potter.

Outside, the sun was shining brighter than it had done all summer. The teachers had decided to cancel all the classes before lunch due to the lovely weather and the fact that they knew that their students needed some time to catch up after a summer of horrific events. It was the first official school day of the year, and Harry spent it in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione and Ron were outside with the other seventh years spending their few hours off at the lake, sunbathing and swimming. Harry hadn't felt like joining them, after their late breakfast in the Great Hall he had returned to his bed, laying their for half an hour while everyone got ready to go outside.

"Are you sure you aren't coming Harry?"

Ron had asked him before he and Hermione left with Lavender, Parvati, Dean and Colin.

Harry had nodded and said something about having a nasty headache that would not go away by sun exposure. So they had left him there, and when he heard that the common room was empty, he had placed himself on a chair near a window from which he could watch his friends by the lake.

He hadn't joined his friends for two reasons, one; he needed time alone to think some very important things through, and two; he needed to find and talk to someone, alone.

As the watch that once had been given to him by his deceased godfather Sirius Black, turned eleven Harry had been sitting lost in his own thoughts for nearly an hour and he decided that he was going to snap out of it if he would ever make any sort of progress. As a reaction to that final thought, he went into his room and bended down under his bed, searched for a while but came soon up with what he wanted to find; The Marauder's map. Once again he seated himself in the common room, took a nervous breath before reaching for his wand which he pointed at the map, visibly shaking as he said with a voice that surely could have been steadier; I solemnly swear that I am up to no good! The map opened and small dots with names below them appeared all over it, just as he had expected most names were found in the area of the lake, even some teachers seemed to be down there enjoying the sunshine. But none of them were of any interest to him, he searched long and hard before he found the person he was looking for. There he is, Harry thought to himself as the dot of Draco Malfoy appeared in the Dungeons, the boy had just left the Slytherin common room and was walking in his direction. Yes, Harry thought a little surprised, looks like he's either heading towards the library, the Great Hall or…the Gryffindor common room. Why isn't he outside in the sun like the rest of the school? Harry wondered as he figured that the one who needed the sunshine most of all was that pale boy. As the Draco moved rapidly towards his direction Harry realized that there was no time to think, he had to act immediately if he ever wanted to speak to the Malfoy boy in private.

Draco passed by the portrait hole to the Gryffindor area feeling more uneasy than ever, his intention was to get to the library unnoticed by anyone and even though that seemed to be working so far, he had a lingering feeling of being watched. His Slytherin skills were still within him despite his changes over the summer, and he knew when he was being followed. He turned his head in one rapid movement, too rapid for his follower because he could feel someone bump into his back when he stopped walking. Though he couldn't see anyone…now how could that happen? Who was known by the entire school to have an Invisibility Cloak?

"Potter?" The name almost left his lips as a whisper, he suddenly felt very weak, like all his energy had been removed, he could feel the other boy move even though he couldn't see him.

"Yes", Harry answered without making himself visible.

Draco heard the word, he heard the voice that had been haunting him in his dreams and in his waken state of mind for seven years, and he fell down to the floor.

Harry was shocked as the Slytherin fell down on his knees shaking from head to toe, he didn't really know what to do but did what came naturally to him, tried to drag the boy back to his feet and helped him over to one of the couches in the hallway. He did all this without realizing that he still wore his cloak, he quickly removed it and looked at the pale boy with concern. Malfoy sat on the couch with closed eyes and a tormented expression on his face.

"Sorry", Harry said. "Did I scare you, that was not my intention."

The other boy just mumbled something inaudible, and slowly opened his eyes.

" I, you…" he said before failing to stand up. He fell down on the couch, Harry checked his pulse.

Oh no, he thought. He's passed out, but why? Did I scare him that much? No time to think, Harry grabbed the boy _and_ rushed him to the hospital wing for Madame Pomfrey to look at him. While carrying him Harry noticed that the pale boy was lighter than he'd expected and thinner than usual. He also had a striking sensation of having experienced something similar not too long ago…but he had been the one to be carried.

_He could feel strong arms around his waist, someone was carrying him. He tried to open his eyes, but saw nothing but a blurry mess. "Don't worry," a voice said soothingly to him, " You will be just fine, we will all be just fine". The voice made Harry feel even dizzier, he recognized that voice, he clinched to the arm of the boy who carried him, harder than before. It was the same voice that he had heard earlier, putting the death spell on the Lord of Darkness. But Harry could not remember who the voice belonged to, he tried to stay conscious, he forced his eyes to swing open, he saw skin as white as ivory and then he lost the battle with himself, once again._

Something wet was touching his face, he opened his eyes in disgust, only to see Madame Pomfrey putting a wet towel on his forehead, Draco Malfoy had never been that relieved in his entire life.

"How did I get here?" He managed to whisper, as soon as he felt strong enough to utter any words that could actually make sense.

"Well Mr. Malfoy, it seems that Mr. Potter brought you here a few hours ago after you had fainted in the hallway."

"Oh", Draco blushed. Had he passed out in front of Potter? He suddenly remembered it all, Potter had wanted to talk to him for some reason…but he had fainted before learning what that reason was.

"Yes," Madam Pomfrey said. "It's no wonder you lost consciousness, you don't seem to have been eating properly for ages Mr. Malfoy, am I right?"

Draco nodded, he hadn't eaten properly all summer, it had been difficult to gain any sort of apatite.

" I haven't slept too good either", he said.

"I could imagine that," Pomfrey said. "Bad dreams and memories I suppose?"

"Yes, it's like…every time I close my eyes, it happens again."

The nurse looked concerned and nodded compassionately.

"I will get you some sleeping potion, you must take it every night, it should reduce the nightmares and hopefully let you sleep through the night. And you must promise me to try and eat better."

Draco promised that he would and before he was left alone again he asked the witch where Harry was, because he wanted to thank him for bringing him to the infirmary.

He sat with you for quite a while actually, she answered. But he had to leave around lunch time, I guess the classes started again after lunch.

So he stayed with me, Draco thought as Madame Pomfrey closed the curtains around his bed and left him alone with his thoughts. Then at least, he can't hate me as much as I feared he would.

First lesson that day was Potions in the dungeons with Professor Tonks, and she was really glowing in her new environment. The students also seemed very accepting to this new addition to the staff, even the Slytherins worked hard and didn't make their presence more than merely noticed. Well, Harry thought, it's really hard for two people to make much noise even if they wanted to. Now Harry didn't think that either Blaise Zabini or Pansy Parkinson intended to make noise, or be an annoyance to the rest of the class. There had been some talk about why Malfoy hadn't showed up and Tonks had given him the third degree when she heard that he knew more about the boy's whereabouts than the rest of the class did.

"So he fainted", she said after Harry telling her the story." And why did you go after him in the first place Harry?"

"I…I just wanted to talk to him that's all."

"Well, that's better be all," the professor said before walking over to help Dean Thomas and Susan Bones with their speech potion.

A speech potion was meant to make the drinker speak louder and clearer and was said to be used during many hearings of death eaters over the year, together with the right amount of veritaserum. Susan Bones and the rest of her Hufflepuff classmates had joined the Gryffindors during Potions and would also accompany them on the rest of the classes that they shared the Slytherins.

Draco didn't attend any classes that day, but he was released from the hospital wing a few hours after his arrival. Not feeling ready to face the rest of the school in the Great Hall during dinner, he retreated to his Slytherin dormitory. Knowing that he should probably eat something, he decided to sneak into the Great Hall later that evening, when he knew that most students had already left.

Harry hadn't really felt like having supper that evening, the lessons had been very demanding so all of his friends were hungry and went to the Great Hall immediately after the last lesson with Lupin. Harry stayed behind in the classroom, wanting to speak to the professor alone.

"What's on your mind", Harry? Lupin asked.

"It's…you do know that I brought Malfoy to the hospital wing earlier today?"

The man nodded and sat down next to Harry.

"Yes, and I also know that he was released about an hour ago, I spoke to Madame Pomfrey before the start of this lesson." Harry felt relieved and let out a big sigh to show that relief.

"Good", he said. "But you should probably talk to him, since you are his head of house. Something's wrong with him."

"That, I am willing to agree on", Lupin said. "Are you sure that you have not played any part in making that wrong thing go worse?"

"Perhaps I have", Harry whispered and felt himself fill with rage and self-hatred. "But all I want from him, are answers, answers that you lot refuse to give me!"

By that he meant the Order of the Phoenix, which had been very careful not to tell Harry exactly all that occurred on that doomed night when the Final battle stood between the Light and the Dark.

"We have told you what is ours to know, the man answered and suddenly looked a lot older than he actually was. What Draco knows, and have told us, is not our business to tell you, it is his."

"I know, and that's why I want to talk to him!"

"You can not demand him to tell you things until he's ready, he'll come to you when he's ready, be sure of that Harry."

"I suppose so…but it's just so…hard! Not to know.."

"I know", Lupin patted the shoulder of the boy who he cared so much for, the boy who bore such resemblance to his childhood friend James." But now, Harry , it is time for you to go and get some supper, before they stop serving."

Harry looked at the time and saw that he was probably going to spend supper alone in the Great Hall since the rest of his classmates must have returned to the Common Room some time ago.

Indeed, the Great Hall was empty, Draco concluded as he sat there taking a bite on his bread. Suddenly he heard movement behind him, he turned to see that perhaps it was not as empty as he first assumed. Harry Potter had just entered the room, and he could feel the tension when emerald eyes met silver ones. Malfoy turned rapidly away from the grip that Potter's eyes had on him, and focused on his bread slice instead.

First the confusion, then the relief and then the pain of knowing that he had looked away. Harry Potter was thrown into a heap of emotions and he didn't know what to make out of a single one of them. He walked towards the empty Gryffindor table, then suddenly changed his mind, how silly wouldn't it look, two boys sitting on opposite ends of the large room. So, he swiftly turned and decided to sit at the Slytherin table, something he hadn't done ever before.

Someone sat down next to him, Draco could feel the other presence but he did not dare to look up at the boy. A hand on his shoulder made him completely loose all sort of composure and he shivered.

"Hello Draco", Harry said as calmly as he could. "I just wanted to apologize for earlier, I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"I, Draco inhaled sharply. It's no problem, it was not your fault, I've not been my self lately that's all, no need to worry about me Harry."

The boys suddenly realized that for the first time in seven years they were on first name basis, Harry dropped his hand from Draco's shoulder, a bit embarrassed by it all and started to eat. The two of them ate in silence, before Harry decided that there was no time like the present.

"Do you think", he swallowed another bite of meat before continuing. "Do you think we could be friends Draco, after all you did save my life."

Harry held out his hand to the pale boy next to him, in a similar gesture as the one that Draco had given him in the beginning of their first year. Draco took his hand and shook it, whilst trying to stop the shivers along his spine to spread across his whole body.

"We can be friends", he said with an unsteady voice. "But I really did not save you Harry, you saved yourself."

With that the Slytherin got up from his seat took his plate and walked out of the Hall leaving a confused Harry Potter to dwell on his own thoughts.


End file.
